Dry-kiln



(No Model.)

W. A. LEARY.

' DRY KILN.

No. 514,832. Patented Feb. 13,1894.

UNllTED STATns PATENT @rrrcno WILLIAM'ALEARY, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

DRY-KILN.

fiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,832, datedFebruary 13, 1894. Application filed September 16, I893- Serial No.485,702- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. LEARY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry-Kilns; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in kilnsfor drying lumber and the like, and it relates more particularly to thatclass of kilns which are commonly designated vertical-draft kilns.

Practical experience in the use of this class of drying-kilns such ashave heretofore been constructed demonstrates the fact that the effectof the outside currents of air have seriously affected, and in case ofhigh winds actually prevented the maintenance of a uniform distributionof heat throughout the drying apartment of the kiln. In some cases Ihave found that at least seventy five per cent. of the heated air hasthus been diverted from its course and wasted.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form ofvertical-draft kiln, in which a uniform distribution of the heated airis at all times insured throughout the drying chamber, regardless of thedirection or strength of the wind.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the sameconsists in the novel features of construction of the kiln,

and in the peculiar combination and adaptation of parts, all as morefully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings and thenspecifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon form a part of thisspecification, like letters indicating the same parts throughout bothviews, and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectionthrough a dry-kiln embodying my improvements. Fig. 2, is a verticallongitudinal section of the same.

Reference now being bad to the details of the drawings by letter, Adesignates the kiln, which may be of any desired or suitable dimensions,but is preferably about sixteen feet in height by eighteen feetin-width; the interior of the drying chamber being about twelve feet inheight.

B is an air chamber, which in a kiln of the dimensions above mentionedshould be about four feet in height, the side walls of said chamberextending entirely around the kiln, and made perfectly air tight bymeans of building paper or other material adapted to the purpose,excepting that at thelower edge of the chamber an air space of about twoinches, is provided, as shown at C, said air space extending entirelyaround the kiln, and serving, as will hereinafter appear, to admit atall times a uniform current of air to all parts of the chamber alike.

D is the main floor of the kiln which extends over the entire length andwidth of the kiln directly above the chamber B, said floor beingprovided at intervals throughout its surface with perforations or airopenings at, a.

E, E are perfectly balanced revolving ventilators which are placed atsuitable intervals along the ridge or apex of the roof of the kiln.

The lumber to be dried is piled inthe usual manner upon trucks F, whichmove upon tracks G provided for the purpose.

The steam pipes I are arranged in any suitable manner above theperforated floor and beneath the trucks upon which the lumber is piled.

An essential feature in the construction of a kiln such as I havedescribed resides in the construction and arrangement of the balancedventilators, as it is necessary that they should be so nicely adjustedas to insure their being readily turned upon every change in thedirection of the wind, and also in the regulation of the size, numberand relative disposition of the air openings in the floor of the kiln,the same depending entirely upon the size of the kiln chamber andtheposition, number and sizes of the ventilators used.

I have found that in a kiln constructed in accordance with my inventiona steady and uniform distribution of the heat, and a uniform upwardnatural draft is at all times insured, regardless of the direction orforce of the wind. The superficial area of the chamher being such as toeffectually, prevent air currents being created by the outer air whichenters only through the contracted air space which extends entirelyaround its lower edge.

It is essential that the side walls of the airchamber beneath the floorof the kiln should be practically air tight, so as to effectuallyprevent the outside air from entering the chamber excepting through thecontracted inlet space at the lower edge of the walls, as by thisconstruction the air within the chamber will remain inactive and will inno way be influenced by out-side air currents.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new is 1. In adry-kiln of the character described, the combination with thedrying-chamber having a perforated floor, of an air-chamber beneath thefloor, said air-chamber being provided with imperforate walls and acontracted inlet for the air, said inlet extending en- 25 tirely aroundthe lower edge of the air-chamber, and heating pipes above theair-chamber and below and between the tracks in the drying chamber,substantially as described.

2. In combination, the drying chamber of a dry-kiln, a perforated floorbeneath the chamber, an air chamber beneath the floor, said air chamberhaving imperforate walls and having a contracted air inlet space at itslower edge extending entirely around the same, heating-pipes within thedrying chamber directly above the perforated floor and beneath the spaceoccupied by the lumber to be dried, and balanced, revolving ventilatorswhich serve as outlets for the air from the kiln, substantially as shownand described.

In testimony whereof I affi x my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM A. LEARY.

\Vitnesses:

A. L. IIOUGI-I, FRANKLIN l-I. HoUGH.

